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Alabama Toddler, 2, Dies After Shooting Himself in the Face

A toddler in Alabama has died after he appeared to accidentally shoot himself in the face with a gun he found.

The incident unfolded on Wednesday morning in north Birmingham, where Ke’Anthony Jelks Jr. reportedly shot himself with a weapon he came across.

According to AL.com, Angela Jelks Gilliam identified the body as that of her great-grandson. She said the boy was home with his parents when he died and described him as “ an old man in a baby’s body.”

While it appears the toddler was the victim of a tragic accident, local police have yet to confirm the exact dynamic of the events and the death remains unclassified.

"We can’t confirm that [the boy shot himself] right now,'' Birmingham North Precinct Captain James Jackson was quoted as saying by AL.com.

“We’re trying to determine the details of what happened."

According to Birmingham Fox-affiliated network WBRC, Gilliam claimed the boy’s father was allowed to legally carry a gun for personal protection because of his work schedule.

“The father had just gotten off work,” she was quoted as saying. “And probably just set the gun somewhere and like I said, children look and play around with stuff. And that just probably happened to fall in his eyesight. And he got it.

“He was so playful, so joyful, fun, make you laugh where you would say, ‘That’s an old man in a two-year-old body'.”

Homicide detectives and forensic experts examined the scene of the death in the immediate aftermath of the event in a bid to shed light on the accident.

“It’s heart-breaking for all of us, for those who have kids and for those who don’t have kids,'' Jackson added.

“We can put ourselves in their situation, the family’s situation. It’s touching for all of us. It’s a sad day for this community.

”For those who carry guns, we ask them to be safe. Make sure you know how to use a gun, make sure you have the gun in a safe place,'' the captain said. “We’re asking people to be safe with guns, especially when there are kids in the home.”

Gilliam urged other families to heed the warning, insisting weapons should be kept as far away as possible from children.

“Children see where you put things at,” she said.

“And they think it’s a toy—they think it’s something to play with. And it’s not. Guns ain’t worth it—keep them away from around your children.”

Senator Bob Menendez said he was "disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights."